Interview with a journalist. Kolkata (India), 14 October 1986.
Interviewer: [UNCLEAR] has the root connection of the Patanjali yoga?
Shri Mataji : Of course. I mean it's the ancient thing. No doubt. Patanjali used the same thing. But he used a gradual method because that was a slow method.[ in Hindi- like use zamane mein bailgadi use karte the na.- in those times bullock carts were used] Now we are using motor cars. So that is the but the time has come. This time has been predicted in Nadi Granth, if you can get hold of Nadi Granth written by Bhrigu Muni, long time back that such a time is going to come.
Interviewer : Mataji here Asanas and Pranayams are very popular. We do the postures in Sahaja Yoga is there any place of doing the Yoga postures?.
Shri Mataji : No no. We do it whatever is needed. Here you see this is a half baked knowledge. And what happens that like a any half baked person will take all the medicines from the medicine box. Like that they go on doing it without understanding whatever is suitable to a personality. Every personality is different. Moreover when the Kundalini rises you know at what Chakra it is stopping and that is the Chakra you work out. Supposing now there is a Chakra in the centre heart you call it it is caught up, then there is an asana you can do. Some people have to do Paschim uttasana if their Nabhi is caught up. But all these Asanas are done according to the need of the Chakras which where ever is the Kundalini stopping. But the modern yoga is so funny that it is they just do all kinds of things left and right without understanding what is the matter with them. Very indiscreet and it causes problems it can give heart attacks.
Interviewer : All these only those asanas are important which are connected ......
Shri Mataji : No we use all the Asanas but which are related to some sort of a problem within us. Otherwise we don't do any asanas.
Interviewer : Pranayama?
Shri Mataji : Pranayama also is all right for certain type of people. But not for all those have certain problems can do Pranayama but everybody does Pranayama, they will develop into big problems. They will never get realisation also. Its very imbalanced.
Interviewer :So Pranayama helps but its not Central point.
Shri Mataji : No pranayama helps according related to the Chakras. If supposing your right heart is catching then you have to do Pranayama but besides it is a very complicated thing it is to be adjusted. That's why they said is to be done by an enlightened being. Patanjali would not allow anybody who is not enlightened to do all these things. Here everybody is teaching everything isn't it?
Interviewer : One thing I have noted that everyone here all your devotees they are all always sitting with their palms towards you.
Shri Mataji Yes because this is a sympathetic nervous system you see these are one two three four five six seven. All right? These are seven chakras and these seven chakras let vibrations this is the All pervading power and when they put their hands like this, this powers starts flowing in My presence specially it works faster. So they want to feel it because it gives you energy, vitality. There are three powers in this one power. They want to take this MahaKali MahaLakshmi MahaSaraswati and Maheshwari all the powers are flowing in this atmosphere. They just want to take that.
Interviewer: Shri Mataji you said strongly against alcoholism. [unclear- specially smoking]
Shri Mataji: Did I? Normally I avoid. But that was the last day so I said I better tell them.
Interviewer : It is very important. Do you think that Sahaja Yog also will help to eradicate the [unclear]addiction?
Shri Mataji: Of course It does it takes away all your habits because this spirit cannot have any habits It takes away every, overnight people have given up drugs in the west, overnight.
Interviewer So did You start teaching Sahajyoga from London?
Shri Mataji: No, in India.
Interviewer: Which year?
Shri Mataji: That was in 1970. Then my husband got elected to this job. Got elected to this job of Secretary General of International Maritime organisation. He was chairman of the Shipping Corporation. Then he became the secretary general of International Maritime Organisation, its like there are 14 Secretary Generals in the UN. One of the agencies. Like W.H.O., is one agency. So I went down there, that's how I was in England.
Interviewer : And there you start.......
Shri Mataji Yes though very difficult with those English - Horrible nuts.
Interviewer[ unclear] yes they are very much involved with you with your philosophy, with your teachings, with your ideals [Unclear]
Shri Mataji: Who are involved?
Interviewer: [Unclear --here you see they are so....]
Shri Mataji: I am sorry what I am saying about English. Yes yes it's all right. They don't mind. They know that. They have themselves facing them. You see everyday they are. They poor things have broken their hands doing raising of the kundalini. They themselves know. They don't mind what I say. They are no more English. Now they are International.
Interviewer: They are human beings.
Shri Mataji : They are human beings.
Interviewer: And one thing very important Mataji – to be vegetarian [Unclear]
Shri Mataji : No no no Not at all. Vegetarians are difficult. They go to another extremes also. You must have balance. You must have protein food in your body.
Interviewer: [Unclear- As the Geeta says somethings are.....]
Shri Mataji: Yes. No no What do you mean by sattvik I don't know. What we say that Sattvik food is the one that is vibrated. Which is vibrated. Which is being given vibrations that is for us sattvik. Not this kind of Sattvik food that if you eat only bhaji falahar[ vegetables and fruits in Hindi] then you are Satvik. No they are never sattvik.
Interviewer[ unclear what diet should be ]
Shri Mataji: Whatever is the balancing one. see some people like in England I say you should become vegetarians and in India I say better become non vegetarian. Specially Marvadis. Because their ladies have such weak muscles you know? They can't even walk after 50 years of age. And they get all troubles of the muscles. They get the shaking of the muscles. The heart becomes very weak. They get Anginas. All these troubles come because the muscles are so weak. They must get protein diet thats the main point and the subtle point you can say they must have more protein diet [ ab jyada ye khate hain bekari cheez ghee vagarah- they eat all that useless stuff more- clarified butter etc.] that must be given up.
Interviewer: Tell me small small things about your life.
Shri Mataji: My life? Now what should I tell you? I slept at 4 o'clock last night.
Interviewer:[ unclear]
Shri Mataji: Now what should I tell you?
One lady: Now when did you start to feel.....
Shri Mataji: In 1970 I started. Actually I was born like this. In a very enlightened family I should say. My father a very enlightened man and he was member of the Assembly, Central assembly, Member of the constitution. Constituent assembly Parliament. My mother was a honours of Mathematics . And my father was a scholar of [unclear - languages].
Interviewer:[ unclear]
Shri Mataji: Very much.
Interviewer: His name.
Shri Mataji: His name was Mr P.K. Salve. We have road in his name. We have statues.
Interviewer: Mr. P N?
Shri Mataji: P K SALVE. S A L V E. Actually we come from, originally from Rajputana. And My, I mean there is a dynasty called Shalivahana. We are from that dynasty Shalivahana. You might have heard about the name Shalivahanas. Shalivahan dynasty. Shalivahan they have also calendar. This dynasty ended up in Ahmednagar. Near Ahmednagar. And then my father mother shifted from there to Indore. And that's how we came down to Madhya Pradesh. That’s how I was born in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Because that's the central point and is on the Tropic of Cancer. Very few places are. Mecca is also on Tropic of Cancer. And this Chhindwara is also on Tropic of Cancer. Cancer is the mother you see. That's why I was to be born there.
Interviewer : From which age you started practicing this[ unclear- spiritual practices]
Shri Mataji: No I was born like this only. And I never practised anything. Because I was born like this so what is there to practice.
One lady: From when did you started feeling that you are.....
Shri Mataji: From very childhood. From very childhood I was born like that. I felt as you know from your childhood that you are a human being I knew I was something else from my very childhood. Very conscious of it, very aware of it.
One lady: And your parents knew about that?
Shri Mataji: Of course. My father was very much even my mother was .......
Interviewer : [Unclear: about the centres...can we get it?]
Shri Mataji: You better ask these people.
Sahajyogis telling the Interviewer address of the sahajayoga centres there.
Interviewer: Who is your guru?
Shri Mataji: I have no guru. Maa doesn’t have guru. Maa is the guru of the gurus. How can She have guru.
Interviewer : Mataji can you give us some meditation, easy meditation techniques for our readers which they can practice by reading this article.
Shri Mataji: Give My photograph and ask them to put both the hands towards the photograph. They might most of them feel cool breeze in the hands.
And say that Mother are you the divine Mother? That’s all. And they get cool breeze in their hands. Most of them. If they don’t get they should write to these people. And they will tell them what is to be done. Give them photographs.
Interviewer : If they get in their hands
Shri Mataji: Thats all right. But when they want to find out whats wrong with them. Supposing they are sick. [In Hindi- Jalaal saab ke paas apna photo khud ka photo bhejo- send you own photo to Lalaal saab]
Interviewer : ok his own photo.
Shri Mataji: Ya their own photo.
Interviewer : And how long they should practice this......
Shri Mataji: No not necessary. 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. Very simple it is. If they write to him, he will tell them what is to be done. So not much to be spent. Because you are in meditation all the time. You are in meditation you don’t have to do meditation. You just do little cleansing. Like this. Thats all.
Interviewer: Thank you Mataji for everything.
Shri Mataji: May God bless you.
Shri Mataji -(in Hindi- come here in front lets give him realisation. Are you practising yoga?)
Interviewer: Yes Mataji.
Shri Mataji : Yes that’s why you see you are catching on the right heart. Try to understand what is the use of yoga. Because like if a car is moving then you know where is obstruction you know how to turn your car. Isn’t it? But if you just, keeping the car here standing, if you move the car, whats the use. In the same way when the kundalini is not moving. See if you try to do something about it then you spoil your chakras. (in Hindi- like now you are catching on your left heart thats why you are sweating and left heart is very important in sahajayog. ) So we have to pay attention actually to our spirit. Not to our body. If you pay attention to your spirit everything is looked after. You get rid of all your diseases. You can cure all kinds of diseases like cancer. This that so many.
Interviewer: Cancer?
Shri Mataji: Of course of course. And those who get realisation never get cancer.
Interviewer: Very good.
Shri Mataji: That is your own power. I am doing nothing. You have got it. Just you have to awaken thats all. Then you can awaken others. All right?
Interviewer: Thats very good.
Shri Mataji: May God bless you.